


Kissing Booth

by miraculousstorytelling



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: All four sides of the love square get a turn, Cat Puns, F/M, Fluff, Identity Reveal, It's about a kissing booth so hopefully that's what you're here for, Kissing, Sappy, So much kissing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-24
Updated: 2016-08-24
Packaged: 2018-08-10 17:51:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7855054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miraculousstorytelling/pseuds/miraculousstorytelling
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Alya convinces Ladybug and Cat Noir to man kissing booths for a charity event, the two are faced with spending the entire day kissing strangers. However, when Adrien visits Ladybug's booth during Cat Noir's break, things get a little complicated.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Kissing Booth

**Author's Note:**

> Written because ladyserendipitous suggested a kissing booth reveal, and I loved the idea so much, I volunteered to write it.

"How did I get roped into this again?" Marinette muttered as she stared at the screen in front of her.

Tikki sighed, "Marinette, it isn't so bad."

Marinette gestured at the Ladyblog announcement on her monitor, displaying in bold letters, "Come one, come all, to a purrfect fundraiser for Paris' new animal shelter. Games, food, and, best of all, a kissing booth featuring Paris' favorite superheroes!" Following the announcement was a surprisingly flattering shot of Ladybug and Cat Noir, grinning and waving side by side. Marinette realized it was probably from a press conference. Alya must have taken her time finding an ideal picture.

The most nerve-wracking part of the post, however, was the comment section below.

"I can't wait!"

"I'll be there, and I'm bringing all my friends!"

"Yes, yes, yes! Cat Noir, I'm coming for you!"

"Ladybug better be ready for me!"

And so on, and so on. There were thousands, each more worrying than the last. Marinette knew that the kissing booth would be swarmed tomorrow, and the thought was dizzying.

"This is a bad idea, Tikki," Marinette groaned, covering her face with her hands, "What if _Adrien_ is there?" Then, she frowned, "Or, worse, what if he _isn't_ there?" She grimaced, "What if Cat Noir asks me to kiss him?"

"How do you keep putting yourself in these situations?" Tikki giggled, "One day, you're going to have to learn to say no to people."

Marinette sighed, looking up at the screen in dismay, "I think you're right, Tikki."

 

Adrien beamed at the multiple screens on his desk, all displaying the same thing, "A kissing booth! This is genius. Alya is a genius."

Plagg sighed as he settled on the edge of one monitor, "You know this means you'll be spending the whole day watching other people kiss Ladybug, right?"

Adrien froze, "Wait..."

Plagg chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief, "He didn't realize it..."

"Wait, but..." Adrien stood and paced, "There has to be a way to call this off." He'd imagined spending the day with Ladybug, perhaps sharing lunch and perhaps practicing between customers, but he certainly hadn't stopped to consider having to watch as other people kissed her.

"But, it's for a good cause," Plagg parroted back at him, mocking.

Adrien glared at him, "You know, I could go back to buying _string cheese_ if that's the attitude you're taking. This is serious. We have to figure out a way to stop this."

"Relax. You'll be kissing a bunch of people who aren't Ladybug anyway."

"Why did I ever think this was a good idea?" Adrien asked, running a hand through his hair in dismay. "I'm not even going to have a chance to kiss h-" He paused. Then, he smiled, an idea forming briefly, "If I can convince Alya to give us breaks, maybe I _can_ sneak in a kiss or two."

"Hey, if you get a break, so do I," Plagg insisted, "Preferably with cheese."

"Plagg, you're a genius!" Adrien grinned, "I can kiss her without the mask! That's almost worth it! Can you imagine?" He sighed and plopped back into his chair, "Kissing Ladybug."

"Ew. No way." Plagg shuddered, "This is why I stick with cheese. It's so much simpler."

Adrien shook his head, "You don't know anything about love."

 

"Sorry, Alya," Marinette said into the phone, "I just have _so much_ homework to catch up on. I'll try to stop in if I have the chance." Marinette hated lying to her best friend, but how else could she get out of visiting the event she was supposed to be participating in?

"Come on," Alya sighed, "This is your chance to meet Ladybug and Cat Noir in person."

Marinette chuckled, "I've _met_ Cat Noir in person. Remember? When Nathaniel got akumatized."

"Even more reason to come by! Besides, you've still never met Ladybug."

Marinette smiled, "I promise I'll try and stop by for a bit."

"Okay, girl," Alya paused, then hurriedly spoke, "Cat Noir just got here. I have to go. See you!"

Marinette chuckled, "Bye, Alya!" She glanced over at Tikki and took a deep breath, "Are you ready?" Tikki nodded and flew into her purse as Marinette waved goodbye to her parents. They knew she would be out all day, which meant Marinette didn't need to worry about them noticing she was missing on a Saturday. Marinette ducked into a quiet alley nearby and opened her bag to release her kwami before speaking, "Tikki, spots on!" Once she had transformed, Ladybug soared off, headed for the fundraiser with a smile.

 

Cat Noir was half-listening as Alya chatted over her headset, directing food vendors to the proper location and guiding workers to their stations. He was perched on the chair behind his kissing booth, waiting on his partner to arrive. He was pleased to see the booth itself had been painted black with bright green writing at the top broadcasting the booth's purpose along with the price of a kiss. The sides were dotted with brilliant green paw prints, and Ladybug's booth had been painted to match her theme. Red with black writing and black spots.

Where was Ladybug anyway?

He fidgeted briefly in his seat, craning his neck to glance around again in case he'd somehow missed her entrance. As he glanced through the crowd of workers, he heard the very faint sound of her yo-yo. She landed beside him gracefully, and he beamed, cheerily greeting her, "Morning, milady."

One more perk, he realized, they'd spend the whole day side by side.

Alya turned to them and squealed in delight, "Ladybug!"

Ladybug smiled, "Morning, Alya." She glanced over at Cat Noir, "Kitty."

Alya grinned, "Now that you two are both here, let's go over the ground rules." She set a cash box between them, "All cash goes in here. Exact change is preferred, but you can break it if you have spare change. One kiss at a time, and the kisses can't last more than five seconds. No tongue, and you have permission to break people's arms if they try, because the line wranglers will make that _very_ clear.

"Volunteers will let you know when it's time for you to take your break. And, most important..." She smiled, moving between them to sling an arm over both heroes' shoulders, "Have fun!" She tugged out her phone to take a quick picture of the three of them and posted it to the Ladyblog with record speed, "Okay, if you need me, find one of the volunteers with a red shirt. They can page me. I'll be back to check on you. We start in thirty minutes!"

Ladybug nodded, "Thanks, Alya. You've really put a lot of work into this."

Alya grinned and nodded, "Everything is going really well, and thank you both for volunteering." She frowned as her headset crackled to life. "I'll be right there," she said into the small microphone dangling beside her cheek, then she waved to the two heroes, "Be right back!" She raced off, glancing over the notes on her phone as she did.

Cat Noir sent Ladybug wink, "Hey, if I have a euro, can I buy your first kiss of the day?"

She blushed and chuckled, "Dream on, kitty."

"I'm a paying customer, milady," he insisted with a playful grin.

She shook her head, "We're not open for business yet."

He poured his heart into the smoldering look he sent her, "Then, I'll keep the euro and we can kiss for fun instead." She surprised them both by blushing, prompting Cat Noir to blush and stare at the ground in response, "Um..."

She looked away, sighing softly, "Save the flirting for your fans, kitty."

He glanced over at her, a small smile on his lips, "Are you saying you're not a fan?"

She sent him a sharp look, though she couldn't contain the accompanying grin, "Be serious, Cat Noir. This is for charity."

He went right back to teasing now that they were back on familiar footing, "Then, you should _definitely_ take me up on my offer. Tell you what," He leaned a little closer, "I'll pay _two_ euros for the first kiss of the day."

Ladybug was already prepared to shoot back a witty denial, but Alya's voice cut her off before she could even begin, "Make it twenty, and you have a deal, cat boy." Both heroes jumped at the sound, neither of them having noticed her return.

Cat Noir recovered first, shooting Alya a small smirk, "Deal!" Ladybug gawked as he tugged a small roll of bills from his pocket.

"Just how many kisses did you plan to buy, kitty?" Ladybug asked, stunned. Part of her had assumed he was joking, but no. He'd actually brought money with him.

He just winked instead of answering, peeling off a few euros and placing them in the cash box with a smug smile.

Alya laughed, "All right, but save the kiss for when we have spectators. I'll take a picture for the Ladyblog and that's how we'll kick off the morning."

Cat Noir glanced over at Ladybug and smirked, "We could practice a little first, if you want, bugaboo." Alya rolled her eyes and rushed off to deal with another minor disaster.

Ladybug leaned in, a sly grin of her own sliding over her lips, "Why would we need to practice, kitty? Are you nervous?"

Who knew that the great Cat Noir, charmer extroardinaire, couldn't take even a fraction of what he sent her way on a regular basis? Ladybug might just enjoy this after all. She'd found a new way to silence her partner.

He stared at her, wide-eyed and a little pink again as she giggled and teased, "What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?"

He turned and faced the entryway where fans were already lining up, trying to cover up the sudden flare of nerves. He waved to a few enthusiastic arrivals, and Ladybug waved as well. Soon enough, the fans were queueing up to meet them, and Alya returned to greet the crowd with an enthusiasm Ladybug had come to expect from her friend. Alya reminded everyone of the rules and urged them to have fun.

"And to start the day off, our power couple will share the first kiss!" Alya declared, sweeping a hand to indicate the two superheroes.

Ladybug frowned, "We're not a couple."

Cat Noir just smiled, "We'll come back to that." He swung over the front of his kissing booth and leaned over the front of hers, "Ready, milady?"

She sighed and closed her eyes, leaning in just enough to indicate she was ready.

He froze, his eyes caught on the details of her face. He could practically count the freckles spread over the bridge of her nose, smell the light vanilla scent of her perfume, hear her light breathing... She was right there, and somehow it was more incredible than anything he'd ever pictured.

The crowd was a distant memory by the time his hand brushed over the side of her jaw. Her eyes fluttered open, and his breath hitched in his throat when her bright blue eyes met his. A dark blush rose to his cheeks when he inched closer. He could hardly move, much less breathe, much less angle. Panic bubbled up in his stomach, and his chest tightened. He had no idea how to do this. He'd spent so much time picturing it that he'd never imagined he might be petrified when the moment finally came.

Ladybug seemed to sense his plight, and, angel that she was, she gently placed her hand on his wrist and squeezed reassuringly, her lips curving into a smile. It was all the encouragement he needed to slide his other hand around to the nape of her neck and move her closer. Their eyes closed as their lips met, and before it even started, he knew he never wanted this moment to end. Her lips were soft and aligned perfectly with his. Five seconds, he reminded himself as he hurried to make the most of the time Alya had given him.

He spent one second brushing his thumb over her cheek and memorizing the feel of her hand on his wrist.

He spent another leaning in closer and feeling the pulse in her neck quicken against the heel of his hand.

He spent a third basking in the delicate sigh that escaped her lips when they briefly repositioned.

He spent a fourth tasting the fruity flavor of her lip gloss, determined to forever recall this moment when he ate berries.

He spent the final second wishing for more time as he finally opened his eyes to look at her. He drew back, hesitantly removing his hand and watching the way her eyes fluttered open as she stared at him. Her lips parted in surprise, a delicate pink staining her cheeks. A small part of him rejoiced at the way she looked at him, as though she were seeing him for the first time. Another part, larger than the first, pointed out that she was still holding his wrist.

A cheer thundered through the previously hushed crowd as the onlookers reacted to the show. The two heroes jumped, reality crashing in on them when they recalled they weren't alone. Cat Noir grinned and bowed as Ladybug dropped his hand like a hot coal. She cleared her throat and waved, quickly drawing on her reserves of confidence to slip back into the Ladybug mask.

Unfortunately for her, the mask did nothing for her racing heart and thoughts. The memory of Cat Noir's lips on hers practically burned in the back of her mind. This was a far cry from the kiss she'd used to bring him back after he was struck by Dark Cupid. That had been pleasant and even a bit warm and tender, but this was another experience entirely. Her skin hummed in the wake of kissing Cat Noir. Her lips tingled, and she wasn't sure she even felt the first ten people who bought a kiss from her.

Somehow, Alya had roped their classmates into volunteering, which meant that Alix and Max stood guard over Ladybug and Cat Noir. Ladybug was glad for the familiar faces, despite how embarrassing it felt to be kissing dozens of strangers in front of her classmates.

Cat Noir grinned and chatted happily with his fans as they reached him. His line wasn't quite as long as Ladybug's, but he spent more time with his visitors, earning Max's ire a few times.

"Hey again," Cat Noir winked at one girl who had been through his line four times now, "If we're going to keep meeting like this, I should at least learn your name."

She giggled, "It's Sylvie."

"Nice to meet you, Sylvie." Then, he leaned in so she could kiss him again.

She grinned and waved while she walked away, and he waved back.

Ladybug was a little more quick than Cat Noir. She smiled at the person and pressed a quick kiss to their lips before thanking them for stopping by. Of course, her routine came to a screeching halt when Chloe stepped up with a grin, "Ladybug! It's me! Your biggest fan!"

Ladybug was stunned, "Chloe?"

Chloe laughed, "Yes! You _do_ remember me!"

Conflicted didn't begin to cover how Ladybug felt at the moment, because in all of her craziest nightmares, not once had it occured to her that Chloe of all people might come to her for a kiss. But, she had agreed to this, and Ladybug was a hero of her word. She plastered on the fakest smile she could muster and leaned in for a kiss. Chloe kissed like she did everything else in life, at full speed and with far more confidence than her skill warranted. Ladybug counted the seconds a bit faster than she perhaps should have, but she broke away after five seconds of painfully awkward regret for ever agreeing to man a kissing booth.

Chloe protested, but Alix gleefully reminded her of the rules. Five seconds and one kiss at a time. Chloe scoffed and flounced back to the end of the line as Ladybug grimaced. She glanced over at the clock nearby and sighed. Five more hours.

Chloe came through the line at least a dozen times, and each time, Ladybug's smile grew thinner and thinner.

Alix and Max were replaced by Kim and Nino. Kim lounged on Cat Noir's booth and spoke, "Time for your break, Cat Noir. Be back here in half an hour."

Cat Noir grinned and stepped out from behind the booth. Ladybug shot him a jealous frown, and he bowed to her before walking off with a grin.

 

Moments later, Plagg was secretly feasting on cheese in Adrien's bag, and Adrien was happily rushing off to the kissing booth. Finding a safe place to detransform was tricky, but it was worth the effort. The line was shorter now, and Chloe was currently distracted by a stall selling Ladybug merchandise.

After hours of kissing strangers, Ladybug hardly recognized the stream of faces, but she certainly noticed when Nino waved at a familiar figure in the back of the line. Her eyes widened when she saw Adrien waiting near the end of her line. She blushed as she watched him slowly look over at her and smile.

She refocused on the person standing ahead of her and sent him a smile before signing a T-shirt and kissing him. She didn't exactly rush through the people ahead of Adrien, but she might have hurried them just a bit.

Five minutes later, she'd thinned out the line enough to see him up close. He looked nervous, and she could swear he blushed when she briefly met his eyes. Ladybug quickly glanced over at the girl in front of her and smiled while she signed a page in the girl's journal and gave her a quick kiss.

Finally, it was Adrien's turn, and by now, Ladybug's heart was beating fast enough to make her a little faint. She stared, smiling as he stepped forward.

"H-Hey," he greeted her, "Busy day, huh?"

She nodded, "It's a pretty big turnout."

"Yeah, you have a lot of fans."

She blushed, fidgeting a bit in her seat, "More than I realized."

When they awkwardly stared at each other in silence for a moment, Kim cupped his hands over his lips and shouted, "Come on, Agreste! Kiss her!"

Adrien jumped and Ladybug glared at Kim for a second before she turned back to Adrien, "Sorry about him. Don't worry, you can take your time."

Adrien chuckled, "No, he's right. Other people are waiting." He handed her a euro, which she slipped into the cash box, then he leaned closer, and her eyes slid shut in anticipation. His pulse jumped at just being this close to her. He swallowed, and before he could fight it or figure out what was happening, Adrien froze.

Ladybug waited for a moment, then she looked up at him and saw that he'd stopped a few inches from her. The faint, crisp smell of his cologne filled the air between them, and she watched as frustration filled his eyes.

Adrien couldn't believe he was freezing up _again_. How was it possible to have the same problem twice in a row? Was he just doomed to be a terrible kisser? Was it just Ladybug's presence that brought out this unfortunate side of him?

After a moment of internal debate, Ladybug pulled back enough to look at him, "Adrien?"

He grimaced, "Sorry. I don't..." he sighed, "I don't know what's wrong with me."

"You don't have to do this if you don't want to," she assured him, though the thought of missing this opportunity nearly made her heart break.

"I do," he said quickly, "I do. I just..."

Then, she understood. Adrien was nervous. Nervous because of her. Just the thought of her cursh flustered over her gave her the confidence to lean in, suggesting softly, "You just need a little help?"

Adrien nodded, wide-eyed.

Ladybug pressed her luck and pressed her lips to his. He relaxed in a second, his hands moving to gently hold either side of her jaw. She smiled, and the gentle curve of her lips made his stomach twist in delight.

She lost track of time, counting the erratic beats of her heart instead. He moved even closer and she felt nearly enveloped in him. Her hands slipped behind his neck, fingertips brushing over his soft hair, and she could feel his lips turn up into a smile of his own. It was a perfect moment.

Then, that perfect moment turned to perfect clarity as she tasted a multitude of chapstick, lipsticks, and lip glosses on his lips. The scent of aged cheese joined the aroma of his cologne, and she felt the way his thumb brushed over her cheek, reminding her of the same sensation with a clawed fingertip. Her skin even buzzed the same way it had when Cat Noir had...

She pulled away, shock filling her eyes, "Cat Noir..."

Adrien was wrenched from what he could only describe as the most incredible moment of his life and brought back to reality in a second with those two simple words. He paled when he saw the look in her eyes. Did she somehow know? Could she really tell it was him from a kiss?

She cleared her throat, cutting off his rising panic, "Um, Cat Noir should be back from his break soon." She flashed him a shaky grin, "If you're still around during my break, I'd love to talk some more."

He relaxed, grateful that he had simply misinterpreted the situation, "Oh, right. No, I'm sorry. I have to be going, but I'm really glad I got to stop by."

She nodded, still looking a little dazed, "Thank you for your support." Clearly, she was imagining things. He couldn't possibly be Cat Noir. She just...wasn't used to kissing people. Setting aside her entire morning spent doing just that, she could pretend that was a perfectly logical explanation.

He nodded and quickly walked away, willing his pulse to slow. If he closed his eyes, he could still feel her under his fingertips and taste her on his lips. He could still recall with perfect clarity the sensation of her smiling into their kiss.

He glanced at the clock. Fifteen minutes left. He stopped by a vendor selling Ladybug merchandise and bought himself a cell phone charm and a plush blanket he knew Plagg would tease him for purchasing. Then, he slipped away and transformed.

Ladybug was quietly processing her revelation as she went through the motions of kissing customer after customer. Adrien couldn't be Cat Noir. Hadn't she seen them together?

In fact...she couldn't recall a time she had except with Volpina, and hadn't Cat Noir insisted that was an illusion? How could he have known unless...

"Thank you for stopping by!" She said with a smile. Manon approached next, and Ladybug was grateful for the distraction. She happily signed the Ladybug doll Manon had bought from a vendor nearby and kissed the girl on the cheek before waving goodbye. Mrs. Chamack thanked her and led Manon off to the games nearby.

Of course, once the child was out of sight, Ladybug's thoughts immediately returned to Adrien. Hadn't Cat Noir complained time and again about his kwami's appetite for smelly cheese? What did Camembert smell like? Ladybug dismissed the idea, reminding herself that Adrien might just like aged cheese.

Then, there was the kiss itself. Her cheeks burned as she remembered it. It was the same thrill, the same rush of excitement and adoration she'd felt when she kissed Cat Noir. Did she just love both of them?

Could she love both of them?

That somehow made more sense than the two of them being the same person. If she had the same reaction, the common factor was her, not necessarily her kissing partner. It wasn't evidence that Adrien and Cat Noir were the same.

Even if they both had blonde hair and green eyes and an allergy to feathers...

No, she firmly told herself. It was a coincidence.

Cat Noir landed beside her with a grin, "Your turn for a break, milady."

She gratefully took the opportunity to rest, "Thanks, kitty." She waved to the crowd and ran off. Once she found a safe place to detransform, she glanced down at Tikki, still a little shocked and conflicted.

Tikki looked up at her, "Are you okay, Marinette?"

"I'll..." she grimaced and shook her head, "I'm not sure."

"Is this about Adrien?"

Marinette nodded.

"He seemed to enjoy the kiss," Tikki reported with a smile.

Marinette paused, her worry briefly derailed by the idea that Adrien might have actually enjoyed their kiss, too. "Really?" she asked with a hopeful smile.

Tikki nodded, then quickly darted into Marinette's purse at the sound of Alya's voice.

"Marinette! You made it!" Alya shouted from behind her.

Marinette turned and hugged Alya briefly, "Yeah! I needed a break from my work, so I thought I'd drop by."

"You just missed Ladybug," Alya said, frowning a little, "I wanted you two to meet. You've never seen her in person, have you?"

Marinette shook her head, "I've seen her from a distance, but not up close."

"I'm glad you're here!" Alya smiled, "Ladybug should be back in half an hour. Can you stick around that long?"

"Sorry," Marinette shook her head, "I can only stay for a little bit."

Alya tensed as a voice sounded over her headset. She frowned, "Gotta go. Apparently Alix somehow snuck into the dunk tank, and she's stuck."

Marinette laughed, "That sounds like Alix."

Alya raced off, and Marinette made a beeline for the bathrooms to wash her face and reapply her makeup. After hundreds of lips, Chloe's being the worst of all, she couldn't wait to wash the evidence away. Feeling a little better, she grabbed some lunch before wandering the stalls for inspiration or unique items.

She considered buying a Ladybug keychain, but then a small set of Cat Noir themed hair ribbons caught her eye. She briefly fought the urge to buy them, but in the end, she impulsively purchased them and just hoped she'd find an occasion to wear them someday. She glanced at the clock as she slipped them into her pocket. Ten minutes left.

Without meaning to, she found herself wandering back to the kissing booth. Cat Noir's line had dwindled down to nothing, and he caught sight of her before she could move out of sight. He waved, and she reluctantly waved back.

Nino smiled when he saw her as well, "Hey, Marinette!" Then, he glanced over at Cat Noir, "Are you here for Cat Noir?"

She blushed, "Oh, no. I'm just here for Alya." Then, a potentially terrible, but simultaneously irresistible idea struck, and she looked over at Cat Noir with a considering look, "Although, since I'm here..."

Nino chuckled, "Hey, there's no line, so you can even take your time."

Cat Noir actually looked flustered when Marinette pulled a five euro note from her purse and set it on the booth in front of him, "Okay."

His eyes widened as he looked up at her, "I, um, really?"

She nodded and leaned over with a sly grin, "That's 25 seconds, right?" And perhaps some vindictive part of her felt a little victory at the way he blushed. She refused to acknowledge the part of her that screamed warnings about how this was a bad idea. Instead, she chose to listen to the small voice urging her to give him a little taste of his own medicine.

And, who knew? Maybe this would answer some questions. If kissing Cat Noir turned out to be as dull as the countless kisses she'd given this morning, she could chalk up her reaction to their first kiss as novelty or maybe even some bizarre side of effect of their superhero connection. And if it didn't...

She didn't stop to consider the consequences. She just sat on the edge of the booth and smiled, "Ready, hero?"

He nodded slowly. Cat Noir wasn't exactly thrilled at the prospect of facing Marinette tomorrow knowing he'd kissed her far longer than even Ladybug the day before. Sure she was sweet and talented and smart and beautiful, but...

Wait. Did he like Marinette?

He didn't have time to process that thought before she leaned in, eyes closed. He took a steadying breath and leaned in to meet her lips with his.

Oh, he _definitely_ liked Marinette.

She gently gripped his wrist as he slid a hand up to cup her cheek. The weight of it felt familiar. He felt goosebumps raise along his skin and just being close to her sent a small shiver down his spine. This was like kissing Ladybug again, but this time he could savor it.

He could savor how she gently slid a hand over the nape of his neck and ran her fingers up and over his scalp.

He could savor her breath ghosting over his lips as they briefly repositioned themselves.

He could savor the light scent of flowers and vanilla that seemed to radiate from everywhere all at once.

He could savor the aftertaste of her lip gloss, sweet and vaguely familiar. Like berries.

He froze.

Marinette, meanwhile, had recognized she was officially in trouble. Kissing Cat Noir was just as fantastic as kissing Adrien. He even smelled similar.

They just use the same cologne, she reasoned. And ate the same cheese, her mind added when she recognized that scent, too. She gently grabbed his wrist when his hand moved up to brush over her cheek in that soft and tender motion she'd memorized by now.

Her free hand found its way to his shoulder as she held him closer, eventually tangling her fingers loosely in his hair. It was soft, she noted idly, gently brushing her fingertips over his scalp. Really soft.

 _Just like Adrien's_ , her traitorous mind pointed out.

Same shampoo, she argued, still denying that they could be the same person even with the evidence piling up.

Then, he stilled under her touch, and a sense of dread filled her stomach. _He knew._ She wasn't quite sure how she even realized it, but she knew he did.

She pulled back and stared at him. He watched her carefully, too stunned to confront her.

"Still got fifteen seconds left," Nino pointed out from beside them.

Marinette looked up at Cat Noir. Her partner, who was now looking at her like she was made of the stars themselves. Her partner, who knew now, who _saw her_ now. Her partner, who was smiling at her like she was the most precious and beautiful person in the world.

She pulled him into another kiss in the blink of an eye, her hands wrapped around the back of his neck and a tear trailing down her cheek. Because Cat Noir had never looked at Ladybug like that, and that could only mean one thing. When he learned she was Marinette, it actually made him love her _more_.

His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her close. Without a doubt, he was kissing the same girl who'd stood up to Hawkmoth and Chloe alike. He was holding the same girl who was unwaveringly loyal to her friends and dedicated to protecting her city. He was memorizing the feel of the girl who had saved his life over and over, as his partner and as one of his first friends.

When he finally leaned back, the look in his eyes was so tender she couldn't help but smile and murmur, "Hello."

He smiled back, "Hi, princess."

Kim cleared his throat from beside them, pointedly staring at the ground, and even Nino looked a little pink.

Cat Noir gently released her and sat back behind the booth, "I think Ladybug should be getting back soon. Did you want to wait and see if you can spot her?"

Marinette chuckled and shook her head, "I have to be going, but..." she grinned, "Thank you, Cat Noir!" She watched him carefully, catching her breath and simply basking in the affection filling his bright green eyes. Finally, she ran off to transform.

 

When Ladybug returned, Cat Noir watched her with a grin that almost made her weak at the knees. She slipped behind her booth and sent him a smile, "Hey, kitty."

He sidled up next to her, "Milady."

She deliberately waited until someone was headed over to her booth before she leaned in and whispered softly, "Thanks for covering my break, Adrien."

He blushed again, and Ladybug watched out of the corner of her eye as he stared, slackjawed while she spoke to a young man wearing a Ladybug T-shirt. That was all the confirmation she needed. Adrien really was Cat Noir. Ladybug grinned. Maybe Tikki was right after all, and maybe she really was lucky.

Watching Cat Noir kiss other girls was a thousand times more difficult now that she knew who he was, but somehow she made it through the last few hours of working the booth. Alya came by a few times to check on them, and each time they assured her everything was going well, despite the occasional jealous glare.

Finally, the event ended, and Alya thanked them once again for coming and helping out. Ladybug grinned and posed for a few pictures with Cat Noir, even indulging Alya with one where they kissed briefly.

Ladybug smiled and waved as she flew off, Cat Noir following close behind. She landed in an alley nearby and detransformed the second he dropped down beside her. She smiled up at him as Tikki settled on her shoulder. A flash of green followed the burst of pink, and Adrien stood beside her, Plagg hovering beside him.

She stepped closer. Knowing it was him was one thing, but actually _seeing_ it was something else entirely. Her heart raced as it always did just being near him, and she greeted him softly, "Adrien..."

He grinned, and the expression was both so Adrien and so Cat Noir. Tikki flew off to join Plagg as Adrien stepped closer, "Hey, bugaboo." His voice was low and soft, bringing a pleasant flush to her cheeks.

Still hesitant and still a little nervous at the sight of Adrien, of Cat Noir she had to remind herself, she inched closer, "I, um..." She took a steadying breath and placed a hand on his shoulder, "I've been thinking."

He raised a brow, "About?" His hand slid up to cup her cheek, brushing his thumb over her jaw in a motion that was fast becoming familiar.

She relaxed at the contact and smiled, "Well, I don't know about you, but I spent all afternoon wondering what it would be like to kiss you. Just the two of us."

"No crowds, no masks..." He added on as though he truly had been thinking of the same thing, gently drawing her closer with each word.

She nodded, "Do you want to?"

He smiled, "I think it would be a purrfect way to end the day."

She laughed, despite the fact that she almost wanted to roll her eyes, "Are the puns going to be a regular thing now?"

He grinned and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, "Yes, milady." Another to her nose, earning him a soft giggle, "My purrincess." Another to her right cheek, "My meownificent partner." Another to her left cheek, "My pawsitively wonderful friend." Then, he whispered, the words ghosting over her lips, "I love you, Marinette."

She gasped, and he kissed her. It was slow and tender and wonderful, and Marinette was sure it was the best one of all. She tangled her fingers in his hair, and his fingers brushed over the sides of her neck, sending small shivers down her spine. Without the shell of her suit, she could feel the delicate touch of his fingers, and without his clawed gloves, he could feel how her pulse raced with each small movement.

She pulled back and rested her forehead against his as she caught her breath, "I love you, too, Adrien." Her bright eyes met his as she confessed softly, needing him to hear the words, too. Surely he knew, but the delighted smile that brightened his entire demeanor made her glad she said it. She caught his lips in another soft, brief kiss, then she hugged him, "And I'm really glad it's you."

He was quiet for a minute, holding her tight, then he murmured into her ear, so soft she almost missed it, "I didn't think I could love Ladybug more until I found out she was you."

Marinette smiled and closed her eyes, resting her head against his shoulder. Tikki was definitely right. She really was lucky.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Kissing Booth](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8394475) by [TiredHorse](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TiredHorse/pseuds/TiredHorse)




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